


Persona 5 AU:Before The Game

by Equallady



Series: Persona 5 Canon Divergence [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Best Friends, Friends to Lovers, Multi, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-03-13 10:33:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18939163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Equallady/pseuds/Equallady
Summary: 13-year old Ren Amamiya goes on vacation with his parents in Tokyo. There, he meets a lonely boy with no place to call his home and establishes a bond with him. Fate has smiled on both boys as they spend their summer together sharing their pain and hardships while continuing to build their relationship over time.Takes place 3 years prior to the events of Persona 5.





	1. Chapter 1

**July 20, 2013**

It was the first day of summer vacation for 13-year-old Ren Amamiya and for the entire summer, he and his family would be staying over at Tokyo. Ren couldn't remember the last time he visited Tokyo. According to his parents, the last time he visited Tokyo was when he was about 3 years old. Because he was so young back then, he couldn't remember what life in Tokyo was like.

But now was no time to worry about the past, he was now visiting Tokyo again and he would be able to experience the modern city with a bigger brain.

He looked at his bathroom mirror a final time to smooth out his bushy raven-black hair to the best of his ability.

 _Alright._ Ren exited the bathroom to meet up with his parents outside.

His dad was just finishing loading the last pieces of their luggage into their car while his mom sat in the front seat.

Ren sat in the back seat and put on his seat-belt just as his dad settled into the drivers' seat.

"I got the GPS ready." His mom fixed her phone on the rack between them for his dad to see.

"Here we go." His dad started the engine and they set off towards Tokyo.

For the entire 6-hour ride, Ren just munched on some snacks to keep his hunger at bay. He was still feeling a little sleepy after staying up until three in the morning so he just leaned against the car window and let his eyelids close every now and then.

Ren was fast asleep by the time they reached Tokyo so his mom had to wake him up again.

Ren woke up with a jolt as his parents met with a middle-aged man with jet-black hair and gray eyes.

"Aoi! Akira!" The man called out to them and shook each of their hands. "It's great to have you live here with us for the summer!"

"It's great too see you too, Sojiro." Ren's dad, Aoi said as Ren walked up alongside his parents.

"Say hello to Uncle Sojiro, Ren." Ren's mom, Akira told him.

"Hello, Uncle Sojiro." Ren meekly greeted Sojiro.

"Hello, Ren." Sojiro said as he looked at him from head-to-toe. "My, it has been some time since I've last seen you. You've grown."

"Time flies by fast, doesn't it?" Aoi remarked.

"Yes, it certainly does." Sojiro said before welcoming them into his house. "Now, no time to waste. Let's get you inside. You must be tired after all that traveling."

After hauling all of their luggage into Sojiro's house, Sojiro prepared a few cups of coffee for himself and his parents to drink. Ren was given a cup of matcha since he was considered too young to drink. For food, Sojiro laid out plates of curry and rice for everyone to eat.

"Dig in." Sojiro gestured to them.

In a matter of minutes, the Amamiya family finished their meal after having to rely on snacks to hold back their hunger for much of the 6-hour ride to Tokyo.

"So what do think?" Sojiro asked them. "Taste good?"

"It's great." Akira replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I've been refining the taste of my coffee and curry with Wakaba's help." Sojiro replied as he collected everyone's cups and plates and placed in the kitchen sink.

"How's she doing?" Aoi asked.

"She's doing okay." Sojiro told them as he washed the cups and plates.

"What about her daughter?" Akira asked.

"She's doing fine too." Sojiro answered as he dried his hands and returned to the Amamiyas at the dining table.

"That's good." Aoi said.

"Anyways, where are you going first?" Sojiro changed the subject.

"Hmm...we're thinking of going to Shibuya and do some sight-seeing." Akira said.

"Be careful out there and enjoy your trip." Sojiro said. "Don't worry, I'll watch over your stuff for you."

* * *

Ren and his family took the train to Shibuya from Yongen-Jaya(where Sojiro lived). The three made their way through Station Square and into Central Street where they proceeded to go shopping for anything they liked.

His parents decided he was old enough to walk on his own so they gave him 5000 yen in total before leaving him to his own devices.

"Make sure you make it in time to the diner at 12 pm sharp for brunch, okay?" His dad reminded him.

Ren merely nodded.

Ren's parents accompanied each other to the Underground Mall while Ren just wandered around Central Street, entering places that interested him. He went to the bookstore first since it was the nearest to him. He looked for the books that had discounts/were on sale right now and his eye caught on one particular book.

The title of the book was named "The Great Thief: Arsene", it was on sale for 600 yen and he instantly bought the book.

Exiting the bookstore, he went to the arcade to play a shooting game but lost in a couple of minutes. He continued to play a few more times before he decided he had enough.

After exiting the arcade, Ren was about to walk to the Underground Mall before he heard a bunch of voices yelling at each other in a nearby alleyway.

"Let me go! Leave me alone!" A boy yelled at them.

"No way! It's not like anyone give a rat's ass about you." A male bully sneered.

Before Ren knew it, his feet were moving on their own as he traced the source of those voices.

In the alleyway, a boy with light brown hair and reddish-brown eyes was getting beaten up by a couple of older teenagers. The boy was getting beaten up by a couple of older teens. The male bully had dyed spiky neon-blue hair that was spiked in all directions and there were tattoos covering his muscular bare arms and legs. The female bully had dyed buzzcut neon-pink hair and there were tattoos covering her slender bare arms and legs.

Ren was sure their voices were loud enough for all of the people in Central Street to hear, but for some reason no one bothered to help the poor boy in danger.

 _Why is no one doing anything about this?_ Ren clenched his fist in anger as he continued staring at the bullies still cornering the boy with their backs turned to him.

"Scream all you want, little boy." The female bully said as the male bully gripped the brunette by the collar. "As far as you can see, no one's coming to save you. You're all alone with just the two us and there's nothing you can do about it!"

As the bully prepared to punch the brunette again, Ren instinctively took a step forward and spoke up.

"STOP IT!" Ren yelled loud enough for everyone in the alleyway to hear.

The bullies turned around and saw a furious Ren staring at them in the face. His face was red, his arms were shaking, and his grey eyes looked like they were on fire.

"Oh look, someone trying to play hero!" The female bully giggled maliciously as she walked up to Ren.

Ren stayed his ground as the female bully stopped just inches away from him. Ren still glared at her with all the intensity he felt in his soul.

"Why don't you run away to your mommy and daddy, little boy? This has nothing to do with you." The female bully told him.

Ren still didn't speak. He was far too angry to do so.

"Cat got your tongue, eh? Then I dare you to not yell when I do THIS!" The female bully swiftly launched a kick to Ren's stomach which caused him to fall to the ground, clutching his stomach in pain.

"Ngh!" Ren grunted as he tried to get up on one knee.

The brown-haired boy was was being held up on the wall by the male bully called out to him. "Just go! Save yourself!"

"Grr..."Ren continued to try to get up on his feet but the female bully just kept kicking him down while cackling like an evil witch.

"Face it, kid. You're weak. You should have just walked away the second you saw us. But no, you just had to stick your nose where it doesn't belong!" The female bully said as she launched a particularly strong kick against his face.

"Ah!" Ren cried out in pain as foot made contact with his face.

"No! Stop!" The brunette boy said as he tried to struggle against the male bully's grip.

"Not so tough are you, little boy?" The female bully sneered as she forcefully stepped on Ren's hands, causing the latter to cry out in pain. "Such a shame your mommy and daddy weren't here to see this. They would be soooo ashamed to see that their own son has a knack for getting into trouble! I can't wait for them to dump you on the streets so we can torture the hell out of you and that girly boy here!"

"Now's the time for the final blow!" The male bully readied his fits for a very powerful punch to the brunette's face.

The female bully stepped off Ren's hands and turned around to sadistically watch the male bully deliver "final blow" to the victim's face.

"N-no, please no!" The brunette pleaded with clear fear in his eyes as he continued to struggle in the male bully's grip.

Ren felt something snap inside him and he pulled the female bully's feet off the ground from behind before she could even take a step forward.

"WHA-AGH!" The female bully landed flat on her face and her nose broke with an audible  _crack!_

Ren in his adrenaline-fueled rage then ran towards the male bully and gripped him so hard that his nails sank into his skin and forcefully pulled him off the brunette boy.

The male bully stumbled back with a bewildered look before he switched to an angry expression.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU-"

But the male bully didn't get a chance to finish his sentence when Ren furiously jabbed his foot into his stomach.

"UGH! YOU LITTLE SHIT!" The male bully stepped back and clutched his stomach.

Before Ren knew it, a hand quickly closed around his right one and the brunette dragged him along with him.

"Come on! We have to get out of here!" The brunette told him as they exited the alleyway.

"DON'T THINK THIS IS OVER YET!" The male bully shouted hatefully at them from behind.

* * *

Ren and the brunette went into the drugstore to tend to their injuries while keeping a close lookout for the bullies that beaten them up. As Ren continued browsing for items that would help heal their bruises, the brunette's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Um..." The brunette started.

Ren stopped and looked at the brunette, expecting him to say something.

"I just...want to thank you for saving me back there." The brunette said to him.

"No problem." Ren replied as he went back to his browsing.

"No...it's just that...no one has ever stood up for me before." The brunette said.

"Why is that?" Ren asked.

"Well..." The brunette trailed off uncomfortably.

"You have any friends?" Ren asked him.

"Unfortunately...I don't. Sorry." The brunette said.

"I don't have any friends either." Ren said.

The brunette's eyes went wide at the revelation. "Wait, you don't?! Why?"

Ren just shrugged. "It's because I keep to myself most of the time."

"Oh." The brunette looked away dejectedly.

"What about you?" Ren asked.

"Huh?" The brunette looked at him.

"Why don't you have any friends?" Ren asked.

"I..." The brunette looked uncomfortable trying to answer the question.

"It's fine if you don't want to answer." Ren assured him.

"..." The brunette silently looked down at the floor.

"What's your name?" Ren asked the brunette.

The brunette seemed to hesitate before he revealed his name his name to Ren. "Goro Akechi."

"Ren Amamiya." Ren introduced himself to him.

"Nice to meet you, Amamiya." Akechi said with a small smile.

"Please, call me Ren." Ren smiled back.

* * *

After they bought and took some painkillers, they exited the drugstore and went down to the Underground Mall to hide from the bullies.

"Are you feeling any better?" Ren asked Akechi.

"I'm fine. What about you?" Akechi asked back.

"Nothing to worry about." Ren told him.

"Do you have anywhere to go?" Akechi asked.

"I just have to get to the diner at twelve. That's what my parents told me before they left me on my own." Ren answered. "What about you?"

"Me? I was on my way home. But then these bastards came out of nowhere and beat me up." Akechi admitted.

"Who were they?" Ren asked. "Do you know them?"

"No I don't, sorry." Akechi replied in a sad tone.

"I'm sorry for what you just went through." Ren said.

"You don't need to apologize. If you didn't come to rescue me, I would have been beaten into a bloody pulp." Akechi assured him.

"I was just surprised no one bothered to help you. I thought these people know better than to just walk away from someone crying for help." Ren admitted.

"Unfortunately, that's how life is around here. People don't want to stand up for each other because they're too afraid and unwilling to take action against the oppressors." Akechi said with a grim expression on his face.

"That's unfair." Ren scowled.

"It is." Akechi nodded as he continued. "And the oppressors get away scot-free, suffering little-to-no consequences for their crimes."

"I can't accept that." Ren said. " There has to be more people like us who are willing to stand up for the good."

"Unfortunately, the both of us are powerless teenagers." Akechi lamented. "If we try to stand up against them, it will end badly for us."

"No... there's gotta be something. I can feel it." Ren clenched his fist in front of himself.

The boys were then alerted by a couple of alarmed voices.

Both Ren and Akechi looked at the source of these voices and saw an adult man with jet-black hair and dark brown eyes and an adult woman with dark brown hair and dark grey eyes rushing towards them.

 _Dammit. I forgot that my parents were in the Underground Mall._ Ren groaned internally.

"Ren! What have you got yourself into?!" His dad scolded him as his mom checked his body for injuries from top to bottom.

"Where did you get these bruises from?!" His mom asked worriedly.

"Mom, it's okay." Ren calmly lied. "I just bumped into a bunch of people while I was outside, that's all."

"And who is he?" Ren's dad pointed at Akechi accusingly. "Don't tell me you just got into a fight with him!"

"No, no! Dad, he's innocent! He helped me when I got lost in the crowd." Ren half-lied.

The parents then stopped talking and took one hard look at Akechi, who flinched a little by how they were looking at him.

"Young man, who are you?" Ren's dad asked.

"Goro Akechi." Akechi said politely.

"Is it true you got those bruises the exact way he did?" Ren's dad asked.

Akechi gazed at Ren and the latter shook his head at him to not reveal the truth of where they got the bruises.

"Yes, absolutely." Akechi lied.

Ren's parents looked at each other before they looked at Akechi again.

"I thank you for helping our son." Ren's mom said to him. "Without you, Ren would have been more hurt than he is now."

"You're welcome, miss." Akechi bowed to her before preparing to leave. "Well, I am sorry to bother you. I must take my leave."

"Wait!" Ren called out to him.

Akechi paused and turned to Ren in surprise.

"Yes?" Akechi asked apprehensively.

"Do you have anything to do right now?" Ren asked.

Akechi paused in thought, thinking of an answer before asking, "No, I suppose not. Why do you ask?"

"I was hoping you could join us." Ren admitted quietly.

Akechi's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Me? Join you?"

"I'll treat you with the leftover money I have." Ren persuaded him.

Akechi was still taken aback by Ren's offer to treat him to a meal. "No, no it's fine. You don't have to."

"I insist." Ren told him with determined eyes.

Akechi stared back, he saw that same steely resolve in Ren's eyes when they were dealing with the bullies.

He knew better than to struggle any further with Ren. The boy was quiet, but once he made up his mind he would not change it.

"Alright, but I hope I don't ask too much from you." Akechi relented.

Ren turned to both of his parents. "Mom, dad. Is it alright he goes to the diner with us?"

"Yes, of course." Ren's dad replied. "We owe him for rescuing you."

From the corner of Ren's eye, Akechi sagged a bit because he knew that it was the other way around and that he should have been the one owing Ren back for rescuing him.

"We'll be happy to pay for you too if you want." Ren's mom offered.

"No, it's alright. I think a whole breakfast and a cup of coffee is enough to suffice." Akechi said modestly.

"Alright, please tell us if you change your mind." Ren's mom told him.

The four of them walked upstairs back to Central Street and then walked upstairs to the diner.

"Table for four, please." Ren's dad told the hostess.

They were then guided to a table and given menus to order from.

All four of them ordered a breakfast combo that consisted of French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and pancakes. For drinks, they ordered iced coffee and iced tea.

While they were eating, Akechi used this opportunity to begin a conversation with Ren.

"So Ren, are you here on vacation with your parents from another city?" Akechi asked curiously.

"Yes, how do you know?" Ren asked in surprise.

"Your parents are dressed rather casually and they seem to be rather unfamiliar with the city." Akechi deducted while putting a hand to his chin. "Also, I can hear you have a Kansai accent, are you from the Kansai region by any chance?"

Ren was shocked by how much Akechi could deduct just by looking at him and his parents.

"What are you? Some kind of detective?" Ren teased Akechi with a cheeky grin.

"I wish I was." Akechi sighed.

"You should be one. Society will definitely benefit from having a person with a high skill of reasoning." Ren encouraged him.

"Don't make me blush, my skills of reasoning happen to be by luck than innate talent." Akechi brushed off Ren's compliment.

"You do have the talent." Ren insisted. "You could just tell that we're on vacation from another city just by looking at us and hearing us talk."

"Anyone can do that." Akechi argued back.

"Not everyone." Ren countered. "A lot of people these days are too focused on their phones to notice little details in the environment around them. You're the only person who I met so far who isn't too busy tapping away at his phone and ignoring whatever that's a clue to something bigger."

Akechi sighed and then took a bite of his pancake. "Alright, you got a point. I'll try to look into it whenever I can."

"Good." Ren said as he popped a hashbrown into his mouth.

"So Ren," Akechi took a sip of his coffee. "Where are you from?"

"We're from Kyoto." Ren replied. "It's about six hours from here by car."

"It must have been a long trip for you." Akechi commented.

"We left at three in the morning and arrived here at ten." Ren said. "I was sleeping during the whole ride."

"Did you get enough sleep?" Akechi asked.

"Yes. Though I'm not much of a morning person." Ren admitted.

"Are you a night owl?" Akechi asked.

"Yeah, I feel a lot more energized when it's dark outside." Ren said. "How about you?"

"Me? I feel more energized when it's bright outside. I wake up very easily in the morning because I enjoy feeling the rays of light from the sun." Akechi replied.

"So you and me are like the opposite." Ren smiled teasingly.

"Probably, if we look closer for more comparisons." Akechi smiled back.

After the four were done with their meals, they left the diner and were still deciding where to go next.

"Thank you very much for the meal, it was delicious." Akechi said to them before preparing to leave again.

"Don't you want to stay with us for a little longer?" Ren asked.

Akechi paused for a second and then smiled. "Alright."

* * *

The parents left Ren on his own again with Akechi.

While his parents went off shopping again in Central Street, Ren talked to Akechi behind the Buchiko Statue.

"Do your parents let you out on your own a lot?" Akechi asked.

"Yes, they even let me out late in the evening." Ren said.

"That's...pretty careless of them." Akechi said. "You're still a minor yet they let you go wherever you please?"

"I can ask the same to your parents." Ren said, unintentionally hurting Akechi's feelings.

Akechi went silent and stared at his feet.

Ren saw that Akechi's facial expression ranged from angry to sad as the latter kept staring at the ground.

After a minute of that uncomfortable silence, Ren was the first to speak up.

"I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"Ren tried to apologize.

"No, no. I-it's fine. I already know you didn't mean to." Akechi held up a hand.

They stayed silent for a few more minutes to collect themselves before they spoke again.

"So your parents don't care about you either?" Ren asked softly.

Akechi hesitated for what seemed like a minute before he spoke. "The people I live with right now...they're not my parents."

Ren stayed quiet as he listened to Akechi continue.

"They are just one of the foster families I've been passed down to. None of them cared about me or appreciated me." Akechi said, tears threatening to spill out his eyes. "To them, I'm just a worthless burden for them to take care of."

Ren continued to listen to Akechi spill out all of his sorrow and anguish.

"My mother was in a relationship with a good-for-nothing man. I was born out of wedlock and I was therefore an illegitimate child. My mother could not bear to live with the existence of her bastard son and she..." Akechi collected himself before continuing, "committed suicide."

Ren watched Akechi as tears spilled from Akechi's eyes.

"Even after knowing the news of her death, my father did absolutely nothing about it. He never even mentioned her while he was on live television." Akechi continued with his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I tried to contact him directly by phone and email but he brushed me off like I was nothing to him."

Ren held out a pocket tissue for Akechi to wipe his tears.

"And there is no way for me to get to him in-person. He is a famous politician widely known across the nation. My attempts to personally visit him ended up in vain. His security guards would force me out of the Diet Building area every time they saw me there and would accompany him wherever he went." Akechi said.

Ren continued to give Akechi more of his pocket tissues while Akechi kept crying.

"If only...there was a way to make my father pay. I would accept anything, a miracle for me to avenge my mother's death and for my pain and suffering to end!" Akechi gritted his teeth as he squeezed the used tissues in one of his hands.

Akechi then went to a nearby wastebasket to dispose of the used tissues before drying his tears using his arm.

"I'm sorry I told you all this." Akechi told Ren. "I just...I can't let this go unheard."

"It's alright." Ren said to him.

"I'm so glad I finally have someone I can talk to." Akechi smiled at Ren gratefully. "No one else would listen to me when I needed it the most."

Ren nodded. "I can say the same."

"Thank you, Ren Amamiya." Akechi gently squeezed Ren's hand.

* * *

After Ren's parents were done with shopping, Ren and Akechi had to part ways. They exchanged contact info so they would stay in touch with each other.

"See you tomorrow?" Ren asked.

Akechi nodded. "Absolutely."

The Amamiyas returned to Sojiro's house at sunset with small bags of souvenirs.

"Ah, you're back." Sojiro said as he let the Amamiyas enter through his front door. "You're just in time for dinner."

Sojiro gave them curry and rice again along with grilled fish and assorted vegetables.

Ren's parents talked with Sojiro while Ren silently ate his dinner.

"So how your day back in Tokyo?" Sojiro asked.

"It's great, it's a lot busier than when we visited ten years ago." Ren's dad said.

"We also bought a new coffee mug for you, Sojiro." Ren's mom held out a white porcelain mug with pink cherry blossoms painted on the surface.

"Aw...you two didn't have to." Sojiro said as he took the gift into his hands.

"Sorry, we couldn't refuse." Ren's dad said with a friendly smile.

Sojiro then turned his attention to Ren. "How about you? How was Tokyo today?"

Ren finished chewing on some grilled mackerel before swallowing it down.

"It's great." Ren smiled. "I even made a new friend."

"Ah, I was hoping to introduce you to my friend's daughter." Sojiro said as he set more dinner food onto the table.

"Who?" Ren questioned.

"Her name is Futaba Isshiki. She's a year younger than you." Sojiro spoke of her with warmth in his voice. "It would nice if she can make another friend. What do you say?"

Ren merely replied, "Sure."

"Good." Sojiro smiled. "You'll be meeting each other tomorrow. She and her mom will be joining you and your parents to wherever you're going the next day. I hope you two get along."

Ren nodded. "Yes, sir."

After everyone in Sojiro's house went to sleep for the night, Ren was awake in his futon messaging Akechi on his phone.

"You still up?" Ren texted.

"Yes." Akechi typed. "Shouldn't you be going to sleep right now?"

"I'm not tired." Ren replied back.

"Ah, I almost forgot you were a night owl." Akechi texted.

"Is it a bad time to message you right now?" Ren texted.

"No, it's alright. I'm just glad you took the time to message me." Akechi texted.

"That's what friends are for." Ren texted.

"Friends..."Akechi trailed off before texting, "I never had a friend in my life before, I am very grateful to have met you. It seems fate has smiled upon both of us."

"Fate, huh?" Ren texted. "Don't you think you're being overdramatic?"

"Hahaha!" Akechi texted. "Who knows? The two of us never had a friend in out lives until this very day."

"Hmm, I guess you do have a point." Ren texted.

"Anyways, I must get my beauty sleep right now." Akechi texted. "Let us talk again tomorrow."

"Alright." Ren typed. "Good night."

"Good night." Akechi texted.

Ren then plugged his phone into the charger before he fell asleep.

* * *

**July 21st, 2013**

Ren woke up to the alarm in his phone. Today they were going to Asakusa to visit the Tokyo Sky Tower for the entire day. Futaba and her mother would join them before they left Sojiro's house.

Ren did his morning routine as usual before meeting with his parents and Sojiro in the kitchen. They were eating curry with rice and drinking coffee from their cups.

"Ah, you're awake." Sojiro said as he gestured Ren to sit next to him. "Come have a seat."

Ren sat next to Sojiro as he was told to and dug into his meal.

"So how are you feeling?" Sojiro asked Ren.

"I'm alright." Ren said as he drank his green tea. "Just not a morning person."

"Oh, I'm sorry for asking." Sojiro rubbed the back of head sheepishly before changing the subject. "Anyways, you excited to meet Futaba?"

"What's she like?" Ren asked as he continued to eat.

"She's..." Sojiro paused, face scrunched up in thought. "It's hard to describe her. But you'll see for yourself."

Everyone was alerted by the doorbell ringing.

"I think it's them." Sojiro got out of his seat and went to the front door. "I'll answer the door."

Ren and his parents kept eating their breakfast as they listened to Sojiro welcoming the guests in.

"Wakaba, you're here." Ren heard Sojiro say. "Come in, we've been waiting for you."

A black-haired woman and an orange-haired girl walked into the kitchen with Sojiro following them from behind.

"Aoi, Akira, Ren," Sojiro introduced the two ladies to them. "This is Wakaba Isshiki and her daughter, Futaba."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just in time for the Proof Of Justice OVA and Akechi's birthday which is tomorrow!

**July 21, 2013**

Ren's parents and Wakaba Isshiki stared intently at each other while their respective children did the same to each other.

"Hello!" Ren's mom bowed to Wakaba in respect. "I am Akira Amamiya. And this is my husband, Aoi. It's very nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Akira and Aoi." Wakaba gestured to her daughter, who was still hiding behind her. "Futaba dear, say hello."

The orange-haired girl still clung to her mother like a remora as she shyly looked at Ren.

Ren gently smiled at her and took the first step in getting her out of her shell. "Hello, I'm Ren Amamiya. But you can call me Ren."

"H-h-h-hello, Ren..." Futaba greeted Ren nervously. "I-I'm Futaba."

"Nice to meet you, Futaba." Ren greeted back.

"Alright, now that we finished our introductions. How about the five of you have fun today?" Sojiro said to them.

"You sure you're not joining us, Sojiro?" Ren's dad asked.

Sojiro scratched the back of his head dejectedly. "Sorry, I've got important work to do. I'll join you when I have the time."

"Just don't work yourself to the bone too hard." Ren's mom said.

Sojiro smiled. "Promise."

* * *

On their way to Asakusa, Ren texted Akechi while his parents talked to Wakaba. Futaba sat silently beside her mother as always while tapping on her phone.

"Good morning, Akechi." Ren texted.

"Good morning, Ren." Akechi texted back.

"How's your day so far?" Ren texted.

"It's fine." Akechi texted. "What about yours'?"

"We're going to the Tokyo Sky Tower in Asakusa. We're currently on the Ginza Line right now." Ren texted.

"I hope you have fun." Akechi texted.

"Are you busy right now?" Ren texted.

"Unfortunately, yes." Akechi texted before revealing a picture of himself at a convenience store.

"For the summer, I'm working part-time at the convenience store at Central Street from 6AM to 10AM seven days a week." Akechi explained.

"Any other jobs you have for the summer?" Ren asked.

"None." Akechi answered.

"Alright, come hang out with me when you have the time." Ren texted.

"Got it." Akechi texted. "I'll see you after my shift ends."

Ren then put his phone away in his pocket and just sat there for the rest of the ride.

* * *

Akechi was already at the entrance of the Sky Tower when Ren's group arrived.

He waved over to Ren as soon as he saw him.

"You're here early." Ren commented. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Only five minutes." Akechi replied before turning his attention to the black-haired, bespectacled woman and the orange-haired, bespectacled girl hiding behind her.

"Hello, young man." Wakaba greeted him. "What's your name?"

"Goro Akechi, madam." Akechi answered.

"My name is Wakaba Isshiki and this is my daughter, Futaba." Wakaba introduced herself and her daughter to Akechi.

"It's very nice to meet you Isshiki-san." Akechi said with a bow.

"Why thank you, I can tell you're a very nice young man." Wakaba smiled. "It's very nice to meet you too. I believe we'll get along just fine."

Futaba still clung to her mom as she nervously watched Akechi from behind.

"Hello there." Akechi greeted Futaba with a smile.

"H-h-hi..."Futaba greeted back.

"Please forgive Futaba." Wakaba said as she tried to comfort her daughter. "She's very shy."

"It's okay. I understand." Akechi replied, feeling rejected underneath his cheerful mask.

"He's the one who saved our son yesterday while we were in Shibuya." Ren's dad spoke approvingly of him. "If it wasn't for him, he would be at the hospital right now."

Ren felt Akechi shift awkwardly beside him.

"Oh! What a noble young man you are." Wakaba showered Akechi in praises. "Risking your life to save someone who you barely knew until now."

Akechi struggled to keep up the fake smile while Ren watched. He knew that Akechi didn't like to take credit for something he didn't do. But Akechi had no choice since he knew Ren wouldn't let him tell the truth of what actually happened.

"Are you here to join our company again?" Ren's mom asked. "We'd be happy if you would accompany us again."

"Yes, of course." Akechi accepted. "That's what I'm here for."

"Welcome aboard again, Akechi-kun." Ren's mom smiled.

The adults bought the tickets before heading up towards the summit of the tower.

Ren's parents and Futaba's mother took pictures together while Ren, Akechi, and Futaba looked out of the window.

Futaba was still right next to her mom while Ren and Akechi talked to each other while staring at the vast landscape of the city.

"So, have you been here before?" Ren asked.

"Yes." Akechi replied. "Just not with anyone by my side."

"Does it feel different now that you're here with someone now?" Ren asked.

Akechi continued staring out into the landscape, deep in thought before he replied. "Yes."

"How does it feel?" Ren asked.

"It feels...wonderful." Akechi said with a genuine smile.

"I thought as much." Ren smiled back.

Akechi pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Do you mind if we take a picture of this moment together?"

"Yes, of course." Ren said as he stepped close to Akechi for the selfie.

Akechi put his arm around Ren before he snapped a pic of them together.

After taking the picture, they looked at it to make sure it wasn't blurry and there were no fingers blocking the camera.

It turned out perfectly. The picture was of them from the waist up with the landscape of Tokyo behind them through the tower window.

* * *

After 15 minutes of staying on Floor 450, the five of them went downstairs to Floor 350. They all took a look at the Tokyo Space-Time Navigation System with Ren, Akechi, and Futaba(mainly her) tapping on the screens.

They then all went shopping on Floor 345 at the Sky Tower Shop for souvenirs. Ren bought a nice picture frame for Akechi while Akechi bought a mini-figurine of the Sky Tower for Ren without them knowing what they bought for each other.

When it was two in the afternoon, they went down to Floor 340 to have lunch at the Sky Tower Cafe.

Ren's dad ordered a table for six before they ordered what was on the menu.

For refreshments, the adults all ordered three different Sky Tower-only cocktails for themselves while the teens ordered non-alcoholic drinks. Ren and Akechi both ordered the Sky Tower-special latte while Futaba ordered ginger ale.

For food, they all had mild curry with rice and assorted sandwiches. For dessert, the teens had the Sky Tower-special sundae.

After they were all done eating, they went down to the 3rd Floor to transfer to Solamachi.

For the rest of the afternoon, they visited the aquarium on the 5th Floor and 6th Floor. The group all stayed together as they looked at different species of aquatic animals like jellyfish, penguins, seals, goldfish, coral reefs, etc.

For dinner at six, they went up to the 7th Floor to a sushi restaurant. The adults talked amongst each other while the teens were left to their own devices.

After dinner, Ren and his family had to part ways with Wakaba, Futaba, and Akechi.

"Before we leave, I have something I want to give to you." Akechi said.

Akechi held out his gift bag with the Sky Tower mini-figurine inside.

"Thanks." Ren said as he gratefully accepted the gift and took a peek inside.

"I have something for you too." Ren handed Akechi his gift bag with the picture frame inside.

"How very thoughtful of you." Akechi said as he took the bag from Ren's hand and pulled out whatever was in there.

"A Sky Tower-themed picture frame." Akechi said as he examined Ren's gift in his hand.

"So that you can frame that picture of the two of us together at Sky Tower." Ren explained.

"Thank you." Akechi held the frame close to his heart. "I've... never been given a gift before."

"Well, now you've been given your first gift by someone." Ren replied.

"I'm very grateful for this moment." Akechi smiled. "I will cherish this moment forever."

"See you tomorrow?" Ren asked.

"Where are you going tomorrow?" Akechi asked.

"Miura Beach. It's super-hot tomorrow." Ren said.

"I'll come after my shift is done." Akechi said as he waved goodbye to him. "See you tomorrow."

* * *

After arriving back at Sojiro's house an hour later, Ren went back to his room and texted Akechi before the latter would go to sleep for the night.

"Have you ever been to the beach before?" Ren asked.

"Only by myself." Akechi texted back.

"Are you looking forward to hanging out at the beach with me?" Ren asked.

"Yes, of course." Akechi typed back.

"Do you think you can handle a little water?" Ren asked.

"Absolutely." Akechi answered.

"Looking forward to tomorrow, good night." Ren typed.

"Good night."Akechi texted back.

Ren charged his phone before he fell asleep.

* * *

_Ren was falling into the cold, dark depths of the ocean. He couldn't breathe and he couldn't move any of his limbs to swim up to the surface. No matter how much he called out for help, there was no one to come and rescue him. Only bubbles emerged from his mouth as he tried to scream for help, Ren continued to struggle until he soon ran out of breath and his strength faded right after. Ren's eyelids slowly closed shut as he succumbed to his fate._

_Just before he could lose consciousness however, he felt a warm naked body press against his own and a pair of lips on his. Ren saw a flash of bright light appear through his eyelids and he opened his eyes to see where that light was coming from. His eyes met with a pair of reddish-brown ones and brown hair floating around his face._

_The mysterious rescuer was bathed in a holy white light and was surrounded by bright white butterflies fluttering around him. The rescuer was sharing air with Ren through mouth-to-mouth contact and sharing his warmth with him by hugging his body close to his._

_The rescuer dragged them both upwards towards the surface of the ocean until Ren could see sunlight penetrating the waters from above..._

* * *

**July 22, 2013**

Ren's phone alarm rang as he quickly woke up from his dream. He abruptly sat up in his futon, still drenched in sweat and hyperventilating. He pressed a hand to his heart and he took deep breaths until his heart rate settled back into a normal rhythm.

 _What a weird dream..._  Ren thought to himself as he got on his feet for his morning routine.

Ren went to the kitchen to meet with his parents and Sojiro for breakfast. Just like the previous two days, they had curry with rice and coffee. But Ren's mom insisted on cooking omelettes to add more variety to their meal.

While Ren's mom cooked eggs for the family, Sojiro took this opportunity to ask the Amamiyas about their day yesterday with Wakaba and Futaba.

"So, how did yesterday go with Wakaba and Futaba?" Sojiro asked.

"It was great." Ren's dad answered. "Wakaba was really nice. We took a lot of pictures together."

Sojiro turned to Ren. "How about you? How was Futaba?"

"She was...okay, I guess." Ren said.

"Just give her time, she'll come around eventually." Sojiro assured him.

Ren nodded silently.

The car ride from Yongen-Jaya to Miura Beach was an hour long so they arrived at 11AM. The Amamiyas all put suncreen on their bodies before they changed into their swimsuits.

Ren and his mom laid their picnic towel on the sand as Ren's dad set up the parasol to shade them from the scorching hot sun. Ren's mom opened the icebox for ice-cold refreshments and food inside before they all proceeded to chow down.

After Ren was done eating, he walked towards the ocean to cool himself off.

As he took careful steps into the water, he still thought about that dream he had about him nearly drowning in the ocean. He tried to remember what his rescuer looked like but it was a blur for him.

As he kept going deeper and deeper into the water, he heard a voice call out to him but he was too focused on trying to remember the dream.

Ren felt a warm hand grasp his wrist and he turned around to see who it was.

"Ren, it's me!" Akechi said to him, his hand still around Ren's wrist.

Ren snapped out of his daze and came to his senses.

"Are you okay?" Akechi looked at him in concern. "Did you get enough sleep last night?"

Ren nodded silently.

"Good." Akechi let go of Ren's arm. "I didn't want you to drown there."

"Thanks." Ren said.

"You're welcome." Akechi smiled.

"So now what are we doing?" Ren asked.

Akechi grasped his chin in thought. "I guess we can collect seashells?"

"Okay." Ren nodded.

The boys collected seashells for fifteen minutes before they presented their collections to each other once they were out of the water.

They spent a few minutes looking at each other's collections before they picked one shell from each to keep as a memento.

Akechi chose the creamy-white shell with black spots on it while Ren chose the jet-black shell with white spots on it.

The boys went to Ren's parents to place their shells there for safe-keeping before they went back into the water again.

Ren splashed water onto Akechi.

"Hey!" Akechi yelled and then splashed water onto Ren.

"Haha!" Ren laughed as the two continued to splash water onto each other.

They played for several minutes until Ren decided to go farther from the shore.

"Ren, wait for me!" Akechi ran after him as fast as he could.

Ren dove underwater and swam until he reached the floor.

Akechi dove in after him and they made eye contact with each other as they floated about. Ren stared at Akechi's brown hair and reddish-brown eyes the mysterious rescuer from his dream appeared in his mind.

The two then swam up to the surface to catch their breath.

They were both shivering from being in the water too long so they swam towards the shore and basked in the hot summer sun as they made their way back to where Ren's parents were.

"You boys having fun?" Ren's dad asked as the boys dried themselves off using their towels.

Ren and Akechi nodded with a smile.

The four continued to stay at the beach until the sun was setting over the horizon.

Akechi had accepted the offer to ride in their car back to Yongen-Jaya and he sat right next to Ren in the backseat.

During the hour-long ride, the boys talked about their experiences at the beach together before they parted ways again once they reached Yongen-Jaya.

The three ate dinner at Sojiro's house before going to sleep.

* * *

The rest of the week went by quickly and Ren knew the drill from now on. Ren would wake up at 9AM everyday, brush his teeth, wash his face, get dressed, and go to the kitchen for breakfast. At 10AM, he and his parents would leave Sojiro's house to visit somewhere in Tokyo. Akechi would join them there after his work shift was over and they would hang out together while his parents left them be. They would eat lunch somewhere around 1PM and then dinner around 6PM.

For the remaining week, they went to the Tsukiji Market, the Imperial Palace, the Meiji Shrine, and the Tokyo Tower.

During their time together, Ren would see that Akechi has been much more happier than he has ever seen him the first time he met him. The boy was practically glowing and he smiled a lot more often. He also has grown more open and affectionate towards Ren over the past week, talking to him more and touching his shoulder from time to time.

Ren was also having the best time of his life now that he had finally found a friend. It felt great talking to someone who was almost around his age. He wished he could stay in Tokyo forever to be with his best friend, but he knew he had to go back to his hometown before school started.

Akechi looked really sad at the prospect of his only friend being separated from him, but he was very hopeful that they would meet again someday.

Ren returned the sentiment and made a promise to live in Tokyo once he finished high school.

* * *

**July 28, 2013**

It was raining the whole day, so Ren and his family had to stay inside Sojiro's house.

Ren busied himself by starting to do his summer homework while his parents did chores around the house.

The rain helped Ren concentrate, so he managed to finish a chunk in a couple of hours.

Ren and Akechi texted each other throughout the day so they wouldn't miss out on each other's conversations.

"So what grade are you in right now?" Akechi texted.

"I'm in 8th grade." Ren texted. "What about you?"

"9th." Akechi answered.

"Is the work hard?" Ren texted.

"No. At least, not for me." Akechi replied.

"That's reassuring." Ren texted.

"Are you having any trouble with your work?" Akechi asked.

"Only a little. I'm managing fine as of right now." Ren said.

"Alright, just tell me if you need any help." Akechi texted.

"Okay." Ren texted back.

* * *

**July 29, 2013**

It was a nice day outside and the weather report spoke of no rain this day, so it was safe for Ren and his family to go out again.

This time they were visiting the art museum in Ueno.

They would spend the entire day there looking at whatever artwork was present there. Ren preferred looking at the subtle and monochromatic works while Akechi preferred looking at the bold and multi-colored works.

For lunch, they ate Chinese food before they returned to the art museum.

They spent the rest of the day walking around the art museum and surveying the artworks until the sky grew dark.

When 6PM came, they dined at a ramen restaurant. Ren ordered shoyu(soy-sauce base) ramen while Akechi ordered shio(salt base) ramen.

As the boys ate, they showed each other their photos of the artworks they liked.

Akechi's favorite artworks consisted of a painting of a young boy sleeping peacefully next to his mother, a mosaic of a god blessing an unfortunate soul, a statue of a hero posing in a showy manner, and a painting of a prince meeting his one true love.

Ren's favorite artworks consisted of a mosaic of a demon chained to Hell, a statue of a cat made of marble, a painting of a dashing thief in black running underneath the moon, and a painting of a rebel fighting against a cruel king and his subordinates.

They continued talking in the restaurant for a bit until it was time for them to part ways again.

* * *

**August 4, 2013**

After spending the rest of the week with his parents and Akechi(excluding the rainy days), Wakaba and Futaba were there to join them again.

This time they were all going to Akihabara, Futaba's favorite place to shop for the newest tech and otaku goods.

Ren and Akechi talked to each other while Ren's parents, Wakaba, and Futaba browsed through the shelves.

"Do you play videogames?" Ren asked.

"No." Akechi shook his head. "I spend more time outside than I do at home."

"What about at the arcade?" Ren asked.

"I don't play videogames at the arcade either. I hardly even go there." Akechi said.

After Futaba managed to buy a haul of electronic parts and several anime/manga items, they ate lunch at approximately 1PM.

Futaba chose a nearby cosplay cafe ran by maids.

"Hello, Masters~~~" The maids greeted them as they paid the entry fee and sat at the table they were directed to.

They all ordered omurice and curry with rice for lunch. For dessert, it was sundaes, parfaits, and pancakes(for Akechi).

They then stayed over at Wakaba's and Futaba's house.

Ren's parents talked with Wakaba while Ren, Akechi, and Futaba hung out together.

Futaba was still too shy to speak to either of them but she opened up quite a bit while they played on her gaming console.

The videogame they were playing was a sci-fi shooter game. Futaba beat both Ren and Akechi every single time since she was the most experienced at video games out of the three.

"Hehehe!" Futaba snickered victoriously every time she won.

For dinner, Ren's parents and Futaba's mother cooked katsudon for everyone.

As everyone ate, Ren saw Akechi smiling pleasantly and Futaba joining the conversation.

Akechi was smiling at the prospect of finding a family he has been yearning for all along and Futaba was more confident at talking to other people.

Ren himself also felt happy that he could hang out with people around his age for the first time in his life and thus he also opened up more.

After dinner, it was time for Ren's family and Akechi to depart and the Isshikis waved goodbye to them. But not before Futaba exchanged contact info with Ren and Akechi so they could stay in touch.

* * *

**August 28, 2013**

The rest of the month went by a blur, they were able to travel and sightsee all of Tokyo. Ren never had that much fun in his life since this was his very first time going out with friends. Sojiro was only able to join him and his family on the last two Sundays of August, but it was still fun.

Tomorrow was the day Ren and his parents had to drive all the way back to Kyoto, their hometown.

Ren's parents were packing up at Sojiro's house, so Ren and Akechi had the whole day to themselves. They chose to go meet Futaba at her house at 11AM.

"Today's our last day together. My parents and I are going back to Kyoto tomorrow morning." Ren said.

"...I'm really going to miss you." Akechi said to him softly, his expression downtrodden.

"Same here." Ren smiled sadly.

"I really enjoyed our time together. I wish you could stay longer here." Akechi admitted.

"I wish the same too." Ren returned the sentiment. "But I gotta get back to school and my parents gotta go back to work."

"But I will see you again after you graduate from high school, correct?" Akechi looked at him expectantly.

"A promise is a promise." Ren nodded. "Even if it's in four years."

"Haha!" Akechi laughed. "I'll be waiting until that day comes."

When they arrived at Futaba's house, they played videogames with Futaba for almost the entire day since Futaba was reluctant to leave the house without her mother(who was at work). For lunch at 2PM, they ate cup noodles. For dinner, Ren and Akechi decided that it was time to leave and go at a nearby restaurant to eat before they said their goodbyes.

"Wait!" Futaba yelled.

The boys turned around to Futaba in surprise.

"What is it?" Ren asked.

"Is it okay if I come with you?" Futaba asked.

"Are you sure you're okay going outside without your mom?" Ren asked.

"I-I um..." Futaba hesitated before she answered. "Yeah...I want to learn to be on my own when mom's not around."

"Then come along. I'm sure your mom won't mind as long you're with someone she knows." Akechi said.

"Okay!" Futaba said as she locked the front door of her house behind her and put her hands behind her back.

"So what are you feeling like eating right now?" Ren asked Akechi and Futaba.

"I just want to try the most popular dish that's out right now, one with excellent reviews." Akechi replied.

"I wanna eat curry! O-or even sweets!" Futaba said enthusiastically as she checked her phone for any of the highest-ranked restaurants in the area that served curry and sweets.

"Aha! How about this one?" Futaba showed the restaurant on her phone to the boys. "It has 4.5 stars and it's the most popular restaurant in the area!"

Ren and Akechi nodded in approval.

"Sure, we'll go there." Ren answered. "And I'll pay for your meal."

"Yippee!" Futaba jumped excitedly.

After ordering a table for three, Akechi ordered whatever dish was popular right now. Ren and Futaba did the same.

While Futaba was too busy scarfing away at her curry, Ren and Akechi talked to each other like always during meals.

For dessert, Futaba ordered cake for herself while the boys continued talking.

After Futaba was done, Ren and Akechi paid and tipped their waiter before they walked Futaba back to her house.

"So how was your first time outside without your mother in a while?" Akechi asked Futaba.

"It feels...strange..."Futaba said. "But at the same time, I do feel happy to travel outside with friends!"

"Funny. I was thinking the same thing when I met you and Ren last month." Akechi said.

"Really?!" Futaba looked surprised at him. "You didn't go outside with your friends before you met the both of us?!"

"Apparently no." Akechi shook his head sadly. "I didn't have any friends before the two of you came in."

"Same goes for me." Ren chimed in. "I didn't have friends either before I met you and Akechi."

"Wh-what?! Why?" Futaba asked.

Before either Ren or Akechi could answer her question, an unfamiliar voice reached their ears.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." A girl's voice said to them.

Ren, Akechi, and Futaba turned their attention to where the voice was coming from.

A girl who looked about eighteen stepped in front of them. Her hair was dyed neon-green and was styled in a spiky mohawk. She wore a lot of piercings and tattoos on her face and body and was even more scantily-clad than the girl beside her. The female bully and male bully from last month were back and they wanted payback. The buzzcut girl's nose was still healing underneath her patch so she couldn't speak.

"Eek!" Futaba hid behind Ren and Akechi as they moved to protect her.

"What do you want?" Ren growled.

"I heard you two roughed up my friends real bad last month." The mohawk girl sneered. "So we're here to settle the score."

"You were the ones who attacked us first!" Akechi retorted angrily.

"Who cares?" The mohawk girl snapped. "All we care about is you little shits getting what you deserve!"

The spiky-haired male bully looked over at Futaba, who was shaking in fear behind Ren and Akechi. "We were hoping to beat the crap of you 3 to 2. But looks like the girl's too chickenshit to fight alongside you."

"We'll call the cops on you!" Akechi said.

"Go ahead." The spiky-haired male said. "If you have the balls to."

Much to everyone's surprise, police sirens came ringing around the corner.

"We have to get out of here!" The male bully said as the police sirens grew louder.

The police cars surrounded both groups and the police came out of them to arrest the bullies.

"Freeze! You three are under arrest!" The policeman said to them.

"Too late..." The mohawk girl kneeled on the ground and put her hands up with her two friends.

A policewoman came over to Ren, Akechi, and Futaba to check for injuries. "Are you kids okay?"

The three simply nodded as they watched the bullies get handcuffed and dragged into three different police cars.

"You were the one who called us, is that correct?" The policewoman asked Futaba.

Ren and Akechi looked at Futaba in surprise.

"...Futaba?" Akechi asked in disbelief.

Futaba proudly nodded. "Yep. While you two were having a heated argument with those three jerks, I managed to record the entire conversation on my phone and send it to the police nearby."

"You're a genius, Futaba." Ren praised her.

Futaba blushed at the compliment. "E-ehehe! I manage."

The policewoman then asked Ren and Akechi about what happened last month with two of the bullies.

"So what happened last month during your meeting with them?" She asked while writing on her notepad.

Akechi answered. "My work shift just ended that day and I was suddenly assaulted in an alleyway by the two of them. While they were beating me up, Ren came in and he saved me from them. We ran out of the alleyway afterwards and never saw them again until now. We didn't suffer any serious injuries that day."

"Is that all?" The policewoman asked Ren.

"Yes, that's all." Ren nodded.

"Very well, you are dismissed." The policewoman closed her notepad. "Have a safe trip home."

* * *

As Ren and Akechi accompanied Futaba back to her house, Futaba asked the same question again.

"Why didn't either of you have any friends?" Futaba asked.

Ren and Akechi looked at each other before Ren just said, "It's simple, it's because I keep to myself a lot."

"What about you?" Futaba asked Akechi. "You look like someone who talks a lot, how come you didn't have any friends?"

Akechi paused for a moment before he replied in a sad tone. "The truth is...it's because I'm an illegitimate child passed from foster family to foster family."

Futaba grew sad hearing this, knowing how illegitimate children and foster children were heavily discrimated against in this country.

"Where are your parents?" Futaba asked.

Akechi took a deep breath before he answered. "My mother committed suicide when I was 5 years old. My father..."

Akechi clenched his fists and his expression turned into anger. "Was not a good man. He refused to associate himself with me and also refused to take responsibility for my mother's death."

"Oh... I'm really sorry to hear that..." Futaba said in a sympathetic tone. "I...would be devastated too if my mother died. I know who my biological father is after looking him up, but..."

Futaba trailed off before she changed the subject. "Anyways! Thanks for hanging out with me today! I had a lot of fun! I'll stay in touch with you both through IM! Goodbye!"

After Ren and Akechi escorted Futaba home, they quietly walked to Sojiro's house.

**August 28, 2013**

"So...this is the last time we'll see each other for now." Akechi said with a sad expression on his face.

"Yes...but we still have each other's contact information, don't we?" Ren asked.

"I know, but it's not as exciting as meeting each other in person." Akechi replied.

"Just be patient, I promised I would come back after I graduate from high school." Ren said.

"Yes. I'll still be waiting for you until that day comes." Akechi replied.

"Goodbye, Akechi." Ren said to him softly.

"Goodbye for now...Ren." Akechi said before he left to go back to his foster home.

* * *

**August 29, 2013**

The next morning, Ren and his parents left Tokyo to go back to their hometown. On their way home, Ren texted both Akechi and Futaba throughout the entire ride.

After Ren returned home, he helped his parents unpack before he went to his bedroom to rest after the long trip.

He would never forget this particular summer break. Not after everything that happened the past month.

* * *

For the rest of the school year, Ren, Akechi, and Futaba messaged each other as always. But it was mainly Ren and Akechi talking to each other one-on-one since Futaba was often busy talking to her best friend, Kana.

While Ren and Akechi were still miles apart, it didn't change the fact they were still close friends after that.

Because of their first meeting together that summer, their lives changed for the better.

* * *

**June 5, 2014**

Somewhere in a blue room located between mind and matter, an evil deity had usurped the original owner of said room and had split the attendant into two separate beings.

He decided to start a game to decide humanity's fate. He would choose two humans and pit them against one another.

One of them will represent "ruin". If that person were to win, the deity would erase human civilization and rebuild it in his image.

The other would represent "rehabilitation". If that person were to win, human civilization would stay as it is.

The evil deity then sifted through millions of people with the "potential" until he found two particular people he was searching for.

A young man who was born an illegitimate child of a corrupt politician who wanted revenge for his mother's suicide and the mistreatment he faced from his foster families. He would represent "ruin".

The other one was a quiet young man with the strong will to help and protect others. He would represent "rehabilitation."

Much to the deity's surprise, he saw that fate had been very fortunate to bring the two into a close friendship.

But the deity still proceeded with his decision to put the two boys against each other. He would watch in amusement to test the strength of their bond. He was planning on getting rid of both of them anyways to prove his twisted point that humanity was beyond salvation.

The evil deity chuckled and said. "Let us start the game."


End file.
